Today’s Scripture Reading (August 24,
2017): Nehemiah 2 & 3
Last week,
the decision was made to release Steve Bannon from his role inside of the
Donald Trump White House. A week later, the maybe unanswerable question is –
what does all of this mean for the future of Trump presidency. Bannon, most
likely for even a longer than Trump is willing to admit, has been the voice in
the ear of Donald Trump. And there is no guarantee that Bannon will not continue
to have some influence on President Trump through back channels, at least, as
long as Bannon is willing to peddle that kind of behind-the-scenes kind of
communication. But, from a public point of view, the era of Steve Bannon as the
puppet master has ended.
Nehemiah was
the “cupbearer to the king.” It is not a position that we understand well in
modern politics. A fundamental
understanding of the position is that the cupbearer was the one who carried the
drink to the king. In a world filled with palace intrigue, the cupbearer was
the one responsible for making sure that the drink the King would consume was
not poisoned. In times of high stress, the cupbearer may have even tasted the
contents of the king’s glass to ensure that there was no poison present.
But that was
only the beginning of the position. The cupbearer was more than just the
servant who brought the drink to the king. He was a key advisor. He had the ear of the king, and the king trusted him. Nehemiah was the “cupbearer to the
king.” Steve Bannon was also a modern “cupbearer to the king.”
Steve Bannon
was unceremoniously shown the door from Trump’s presence last week. Maybe one
of the key differences between Bannon and
his ancient counterpart, Nehemiah, is shown in this conversation between the
cupbearer and his king. As Bannon leaves the White House, there is no question
that he is not being invited to return. Artaxerxes, on the other hand, does not
dismiss Nehemiah lightly. Nehemiah is a valuable advisor that the king needs.
He is willing to make the sacrifice of allowing Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem
knowing that Nehemiah’s presence there might be the stabilizing force that that
portion of the Persian Kingdom needed. But he wants him back. Nehemiah is too valuable
in the presence of the king to be allowed to leave
forever. The King needs his cupbearer, and there is no greater compliment for any of the cupbearers of the
world than the understanding of that need.
Artaxerxes response was a compliment to
his cupbearer. And it is a response that all cupbearers desire to hear from the
kings that they serve.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Nehemiah
4
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